In today's retail world, one of the challenges for those selling products is to get the attention of the buyer or consumer. This can be especially challenging as the retail shelf space becomes more crowded and competitive. Product manufacturers and retailers have tried different methods to garner this attention. For example, product packaging is specifically designed to “catch the eye” of the consumer. One particular method for garnering the attention, and hopefully interest, of the consumer is to provide a package or portion of a package, that utilizes provided power. Such packages could have simple electronic messages, audio, animated text or video, or simply lights, to attract a potential consumer.
The problem with the provision of power to packaging or products has typically been increased cost. This is especially true for packages that are made to contain the power source. In reality, the power source is only needed for a short time. The only time the power is needed in this environment is when the product is presented to the user. This short time is a small percentage of the time from when the product is made and packaged, to the time a consumer takes it off the shelf. If power is provided for the entire time, such as when power is provided directly in each package, the cost is high and the process is inefficient in that power is constantly provided even when it is not needed.
If power is not constantly provided, the problem has been how to achieve the selective provision of power to the packaging, in an efficient and cost effective manner. Moreover, it would be desirable to achieve this provision of power without necessarily requiring a completely new shelving system.